Recipes with black pepper

Fragrant cumin-spiced brown rice baked with tender eggplant, sweet bell peppers, and tomatoes in a golden turmeric-ginger sauce, finished with melted cheese.

No-fat oven fried chicken breasts coated in Parmesan breadcrumbs with rosemary, thyme, and a buttermilk dip. Baked at high heat until golden and crispy without any oil.

Quick skillet cabbage sauteed with celery, green pepper, and onion until crisp-tender. A simple, low-calorie vegetable side dish that's on the table in 15 minutes flat.

Whole artichokes stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta, fresh basil, and garlic, then braised in a Dutch oven until tender. A showstopping vegetarian side dish that's worth every minute.

A succulent pork roast dish that's made with green peppercorns and apple cider.

Provencal soup au pistou loaded with kidney beans, white beans, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and macaroni. A hearty, rustic French vegetable soup.

Crustless microwave quiche Lorraine loaded with three cheeses, crispy bacon, and heavy cream. Rich, custardy, and on the table in 35 minutes.

Panfried quail browns the little birds in butter with thyme and ham, then deglazes the pan with fresh white grape juice. A classic French country preparation for game lovers.

Sun-dried tomato quiche with mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil, and a flaky homemade crust. This rich, custardy brunch centerpiece serves 4 to 6 and comes together in about an hour.

Whole roasted chicken rubbed inside and out with sun-dried tomato paste, garlic, fresh basil, and parsley. Crisp golden skin, deeply savory flavor in every bite.

Oil-free curried chickpeas simmered with potatoes, tomatoes, and warm spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. A naturally vegan one-pot meal that's rich, hearty, and packed with flavor.

Mixed greens tossed with shaved fennel, thin pear slices, toasted walnuts, Parmesan, and a balsamic-olive oil drizzle. A no-cook fall or winter salad that takes 15 minutes and looks as good as it tastes.

Sirloin steak seared on a hot griddle with peanut oil and mushrooms, served over rice with a magic mustard dipping sauce. A Benihana-style hibachi steak dinner you can make at home in 40 minutes.

Roasted red pepper subs layer marinated peppers, homemade olive paste, creamy feta and peppery arugula on a toasted baguette. A meatless Mediterranean sandwich that eats like a real meal.

Slow cooker potato and mushroom chowder with carrots, celery, and a parmesan finish. Crock-Pot weeknight comfort soup with optional hash brown shortcut.

Roasted potato salad with crispy red potatoes, chopped bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and scallions in creamy dressing. Serve warm or chilled for a smoky twist on classic potato salad.

Green goddess-style salad dressing blends mayonnaise, yogurt, mixed greens, lemon juice, and optional anchovy into a creamy, herb-packed dressing. Ready in 10 minutes.

They won't need refrigeration, and should stay fresh for several weeks or until the end of time.

Pork meatballs with shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, and ginger, rolled in soaked rice and steamed until the grains turn translucent. A classic Chinese dim sum appetizer that's as fun to make as it is to eat.

Microwave Italian tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, basil, and oregano, ready in under 10 minutes. No stirring, no stovetop. A quick base sauce for pasta, pizza, or chicken Parmesan.

Quick linguine with crisp asparagus, bacon, scallions, and a lemony butter pan sauce topped with crumbled goat cheese and black olives. A bright, seasonal pasta dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

A light vegetable soup simmered with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, and dill weed in vegetable stock. Vegan, low-calorie, and on the table in under an hour.

Polish noodles with browned butter, cubed ham, sour cream, and ripe tomatoes simmered in a Dutch oven. A hearty one-pot pasta dish ready in 40 minutes.

Meatball stroganoff with browned beef meatballs simmered in cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, served over egg noodles. A quick, comforting one-skillet dinner ready in an hour.

Mushroom pate with a pound of sauteed mushrooms, dry vermouth, Parmesan, sour cream, and toasted pecans. A rich, earthy spread for crackers and crostini.

Garden salad pizza topped with fresh tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, red onion, and scallions tossed in olive oil and vinegar over melted mozzarella. No sauce needed when the vegetables are this fresh.

Lemon-scented chicken and rice are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It's a one-skillet main dish recipe that combines tender chicken chunks, fluffy rice, and a simple blend of spices and herbs.

Baked mushroom pate with cream cheese, Italian herbs, and a full pound of fresh mushrooms. A rich, savory vegetarian appetizer served at room temperature with crackers.

Flemish carbonades is a Belgian beef stew braised in beer with onions and garlic in the slow cooker. Fork-tender beef chuck in a thick, malty gravy.

Herb-tomato grilled chicken brushed with a tangy ketchup, lemon, garlic, and basil basting sauce slipped under the skin so flavor reaches the meat. Smoky, juicy, charred bone-in chicken straight off the grill.

Homemade potato gnocchi from scratch, made with baked rather than boiled potatoes for a light, fluffy texture. Pillowy little dumplings ridged on a fork, boiled until they float, ready for any sauce you love.

These delicious popovers take advantage of lemon's strong affinity with freshly ground black pepper. They rise best in baked in deep molds in a very hot oven. One of the best ways to grate lemon peel is to remove the zest in strips using a vegetable peeler, then grind it to a powder in a spice mill.

Green noodles with a creamy mushroom and bacon sauce finished with fresh basil and Parmesan. Nearly two pounds of mushrooms make this a rich, earthy weeknight pasta.

Tender steamed broccoli florets draped in a silky homemade Parmesan cream sauce made with low-fat milk. A healthy vegetarian side dish ready in just 20 minutes.

Crispy General Tao's chicken coats golden fried chicken in a sticky sweet-and-savory sauce of brown sugar, soy, garlic, and ginger with a kick of chili. Better than takeout, easily made gluten-free with tamari, and ready in about 25 minutes.

Creamy homemade spinach soup thickened with a silky roux and brightened with a whisper of nutmeg. Ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry staples, this comforting bowl feeds six hungry people on a cold night.

Quick microwave chicken curry stir-fry tossed with crunchy peanuts, sweet chutney, coconut, and currants over wild rice. A 35-minute weeknight dinner with zero stovetop cleanup.

For that definitive French touch, an enriched Bechamel sauce.

Warm brie melted over fresh herb sprigs, scored in a diamond pattern and ringed with baby pear tomatoes. A quick microwave appetizer served with crusty French bread for scooping.

A vegan cima roll: pureed tofu wrapped around a colorful filling of seitan, spinach, roasted red peppers, pistachios, and peas, then steamed into a sliceable log. Plant-based Italian showpiece.

This is a very colorful and tasty arrangement of marinated and then skewered and grilled vegetables and fish. The marinade, called chermoulla, is a blend of fragrant seasonings, oil, and lemon juice. In this version I've suggested my favorite vegetables for kebabs. You should choose your own favorites; some other good choices are eggplants, mushrooms, and onions.

This recipe is from a Toronto restaurant called "The Stockyards". There's no reason to settle for a boring average grilled cheese when it's so easy to kick it up a notch and create something very special.

Moroccan chickpea soup (Hasa Al-Hummus) with cilantro, garlic, hot chili, and lemon. A North African vegetarian classic with simple, bright flavors.

A fragrant South Indian curry powder toasted from whole spices: cumin, black mustard, fenugreek, curry leaves, dried chili, and urad dal, ground fresh. Keeps for four months in a jar.

Layered salt cod baked with sliced potatoes, sweet peppers, onions, and ripe tomatoes in olive oil. A rustic Portuguese-style casserole topped with hard-boiled egg and fresh parsley.

Paillard of fresh fish with salsa beurre blanc: firm fish pounded ultra-thin, broiled 2 minutes, and topped with a French butter sauce spiked with salsa fresca. Ready in 20 minutes.

Oysters Veracruz: Mexican-style baked oysters topped with chipotle sauce and melted quesadilla cheese. A spicy, smoky twist on classic baked oyster appetizers.

Ratatouille-topped chicken: pan-seared breasts blanketed in Provencal vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes. Mediterranean weeknight dinner.